[Medical Q&A] Is bedwetting a disease in children?

Author: Zeng Yue Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University

Reviewer: Du Yue, Chief Physician, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University

Enuresis, commonly known as "bedwetting", is a phenomenon of involuntary urination during sleep. According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), children aged 5 to 6 years old who have involuntary urinary leakage during sleep at least twice a month, and children aged 7 and above who wet the bed at least once a month for more than 3 months without obvious neurological or psychiatric problems can be diagnosed with enuresis.

Studies have shown that factors such as family environment and parent-child relationships may affect children's enuresis. Family problems such as parents' divorce and frequent quarrels may increase the psychological burden on children, thereby inducing or aggravating enuresis. "Bedwetting" can seriously affect children's physical and mental development. The causes of enuresis are complex and may also be related to various factors such as genetics, delayed growth and development, and psychology, including excessive nocturia, arousal disorders, lack of antidiuretic hormone, insufficient bladder capacity, a full bladder that does not send information to the brain, and constipation. It may also be an early manifestation of certain diseases, such as renal insufficiency, diabetes insipidus, endocrine and nervous system diseases, etc., and requires diagnosis and treatment by a specialist to eliminate disease factors to avoid delaying the disease. Basic treatment for enuresis runs through the entire treatment process, mainly including work and rest and diet adjustments, behavioral therapy, awakening training and psychotherapy.

Parents should build up confidence. If enuresis occurs, parents should actively improve the child's internal urination-related functions and habits, and take the child to a specialist clinic in time. It is important to understand the factors affecting the child's enuresis from many aspects, actively find the causes of enuresis, and correctly guide and add drug treatment.